FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT DARREN HAYDAR - PAGE 5

Four days after suffering their worst loss of the season, the Wolves gained a measure of revenge against the Milwaukee Admirals. Rookie Anton Rodin had his first two-goal game and Eddie Lack made 25 saves Wednesday night in leading the Wolves to a 5-2 victory over the Admirals before a crowd of 3,932 at Allstate Arena. The Wolves, who dropped a 6-0 decision in Milwaukee on Saturday, clinched the series for the third straight season. "Every game is important and we need the wins to get to the playoffs," Rodin said.

In the end, a pair of improbable comebacks weren't to be for the Wolves. With Friday night's 3-2 loss in double overtime in Game 5 of their AHL playoff series with the San Antonio Rampage, the Wolves failed to complete a rally from a 2-0 deficit in the series and game. Roman Derlyuk scored at the 5-minute, 28-second mark of the second overtime as the Rampage won its first playoff series in franchise history. The Wolves now have won only one playoff series since winning the Calder Cup in 2008.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- San Antonio's power-play prowess has positioned the Rampage within one win of pulling the plug on the Chicago Wolves' season. After winning Game 1 on Thursday night with a power-play goal in overtime, San Antonio scored on its first three man-advantage chances during Game 2 of their best-of-five Western Conference Quarterfinals and held on for a 4-3 victory Saturday night at AT&T Center. The Rampage is 5-for-10 on the power play in the series. San Antonio has won all six games this season against the Wolves by one goal.

Yes, the Wolves lost to the AHL's last-place team. And yes, they had their four-game winning streak snapped. But coach Craig MacTavish saw enough positives from his team Saturday night that he was not concerned after the Wolves suffered a 4-3 loss to San Antonio before a crowd of 10,913 at Allstate Arena. "Some games where you play poorly it can stall your momentum," MacTavish said. "But outside of the result, we'll analyze this game in a pretty positive light. It was a hell of a hockey game.

A report from the Utica (N.Y.) Observer-Dispatch may end up having a dramatic effect on the Wolves' immediate future. The newspaper reported Sunday that the Calgary Flames are moving their AHL affiliation from Abbotsford to Utica for the 2013-14 season. That leaves Abbotsford in play as a possible location for the Canucks affiliation, which would leave the Wolves looking for a new parent organization for the second time in three years. The Wolves and Canucks signed a two-year agreement June 27, 2011.

The season wasn't the only thing that ended for the Wolves in Sunday's 3-1 loss to Grand Rapids. The game also officially ended their affiliation with the Vancouver Canucks. Wolves general manager Wendell Young informed the players after the game the two-year partnership with Canucks will not be renewed. Young said the Wolves are down to two NHL teams for a new affiliation. “Our parameters are based on do you have the same philosophy as us that we want to develop and win at the same time,” Young said.

Only a veteran like Darren Haydar can put up a three-point night and feel like he didn't contribute as much as he could have. Haydar had a goal and two assists Saturday in his return from a one-game absence, lifting the Wolves to a 3-1 victory over Lake Erie before a season-high crowd of 15,319 at Allstate Arena. Steve Reinprecht had a goal and an assist, and defenseman Chris Tanev added two assists as the Wolves opened a six-game homestand by winning for the sixth time in their last seven games at Allstate Arena.

It seemed obvious, but at Saturday morning's Wolves team meeting, Scott Arniel wanted to remind his players the sun does come up, even after one of the most disappointing losses of the season. The Wolves got the message, putting a Friday night debacle in the past and pulling out a crucial 2-1 shootout victory Saturday over Charlotte before a crowd of 13,119 at Allstate Arena. It came on the heels of a 7-3 loss in Rockford in which the Wolves allowed a franchise-record 58 shots on goal.

To say things are tight in the AHL's Western Conference playoff race is an understatement. An example came Wednesday night when a Wolves victory moved them from a four-way tie for eighth into a three-way tie for seventh. Shootout goals from Michael Davies and Nicklas Jensen provided the Wolves a 3-2 triumph over the Oklahoma City Barons before a crowd of 6,487 at Allstate Arena. Danny Groulx and Darren Haydar scored in regulation, and Matt Climie stopped 31 shots through 65 minutes.

Sometimes even experience can't prevent mental lapses. Despite having their most seasoned line on the ice, the Wolves gave up the winning goal only 24 seconds after tying the game Saturday night in a 3-2 loss to Abbotsford before a crowd of 10,833 at Allstate Arena. Paul Byron scored with 7 minutes, 42 seconds remaining as the Heat victimized the veteran line of Brett Sterling, Andrew Ebbett and Darren Haydar. All five Heat players touched the puck leading up to Byron's goal, which sent the Wolves to their third consecutive loss.